Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-07-04


excursion reinforced the crowds already
thronging the street. The brilliant uni
forms, the flashing arms and the mass oi
people moving in all directions over the
ield, brings vividly to mind the scenes ot
the great conflict. The morning was spent
in sightseeing and going over the field.
One house on Baltimore street, in which a
rebel shirt is sticking, attracted more than
usual notice. This afternoon, after dinner,
the veterans collected at their respective
headquarters at l:30 P. NJ, and
THE PROCESSION
formed at the Eagle Hotel, aud led by Ad-
iutant White, and followed by tt, band,
took up its March toward the place where
twenty-four years before the Philadelphia
men had held their position against the
famous Picketts division, of Lougstreet's
corps, OF the Army of Northern Virginia
The procession proceeded out Baltimore
street to the place where the Emmittsburg
road Joins il, and which was tine outer post
OF the Union sharpshOoters, during the
fight. Out the Emmettsburg road to the
battlefield, the wearers OF the blue badges
and white helmets proceeded.
Slowly they made their way through the
dust At length they reach the "bloody
angle" the band strikes mp Rally Round
the Flag, Boys" and the old Philadelphia
brigade stood once more on the ground
they so nObly defended against such over
whelming odds. On they come, past the
monument OF the Seventy-frst, past the
monument of the Sixty-ninth, they
halt, back they go past the monuments
again. Then the Hibernia Rifles march
past between and draw up in front of the
69th monument. The scene is strikingly
magnificent. Ten miles away on the west
are the heights of the Blue Ridge, folding
around the town like an amphitheatre and
the soft breeze is lazily moving the riDen-
ing grain, one mile away; and reaching
from their Round Top on the south to the
Harrisburg road, on the north are the
wood, all beautiful in their green dress
from which PiCketts division on the event
iul 81 Of July, 1853, emerged and started
aCroS the mile of almost level country
which lies between their sheltering
gloom and Cemetery ridge. The stone
fence is still standing behind which
the Philadelphia brigade made its
heroic stand, and the two monuments OF
the 69th and list are located within few
feet of it, A few minutes after : O'clock,
the 69th marched to the stand, and there
the aSSemblage was called To order by Col.
O'Brien, who introduced Adjutant A. W.
NcDermOtt, who read list OF the killed
aud mortally wounded OF the 69th. He
then presented Gen. Joshua T. Owen, who
delivered the oratiOn. During his speech
the General said that the commander OF
the Philadelphia brigade, when he placed
them at the stonewall, in such an advanced
position, knew they would stay there and
hold the position till death. lie referred
10 the manner in which they got the
name of
"PADDY OWENS REGULARS"
and pointed out Gen. Brown rs the man
who so called them. He said he hardly
knew wha. to say to the men, who, twenty
four years ago, emerged from the woods,
three hundred yards away, and made the
terrible assault.
they wish" he continued. "ArmlStead
and several others pierced our lines, and
here within a few feet of the spot he fell
wounded unto death. The renowned pha-
lanxes of Alexander wogld not have dared
to make the charge that Pickett made"
In closing, he called for three cheers for
Pickett's division ~ proof OF their friend
,hip. They were given with will, as
were three cheers for Gen. Owens. Col.
Reilly then
PRESENTED THE MONUMENT
TO the keeping of the Battlefield Memorial
Association, 1t was received by Col. j..
x. Batchelder. As soon as Col. Batchel-
der had finished, Col. Reilly arose, and IN
the name Of the SiNty-ninth Regiment
presented him with "a handsome gold
watch appropriately Inscribed. The Col.
was much surprised. and in q few words
thanked the regiment for their kind re-
memhrance of him. Before the ceremonies
bsoy,n. Mrs. Pickett escorted by Gen.
Burns, took her seat ou the platform and
the crowd cheered her. Now Adjutant
General McDermOtt presented her with
beautiful floral cross, which had been
uiven the brigade by Mrs. Reid, OF Palla-
delphia, and which they now wished to
| present to her. She arose and merely
bowed her thanks. This finished the
ceremonies OF the Sixty-nnth, and now
the SeYenty-frst took the platform, ana
Capt Stockton introduced Gen. Burns, who
| succeeded Gen. Badly Smith as an orator.
The General spoke for some time but hn'
ally took out his paper aud read. When
he had finished Gen. Baldy Smith was
presented and spoke for 4 few minutes.
| IN fell on Gen. Wister to turn the mOnu-
ment over 10 the Battlefield Memorial AS
sociation and he was so much affected 10y
the small number of the brigade remain
ing that it took Kim several minutes to
master his feelings.
The monument WAS accepted for the As
! sociation, nv Col John NJ. Nanderslice, OF
Philadelphia. Col. K. Penn Smith, in a
very interesting speech, turned over to the
Memorial Association the tablet OF
Cushing's battery, wbicE was also
received by Colonel NanderSlice. The
crowd then moved for the famous clump
of trees where the Cowan Battery mOnu-
mant is erected. When AL was ready Col.
Andrew Cowan introduced Rev. James h.
Dixon, who offered prayer. Mrs. Pickett
was there sn3 Col. Cowan thanked her for
her presence, and also welcomed the wife
of the commander OF the philadelphia
Brigade, whose husband twenty-iour years
400 brought him the order to place bis
Guns where the monument Is now, and
who he had not seen again till last night.
He then presented S. e. PAYNE as the
orator, who spoke about twenty minutes.
Thep Col. Cowan transferred the monu-
ment t6 ths Memorial Association, IN
whose behalf it Was sccepted ~by Capt
Wayuer. Lieut.. VIM. s. A. Myers, on
behalf of the Battery, then thanked Col.
Cowsn for his efforts to bring about this
dedication and make it a success.
Perhaps the most interesting incident OF
the dedication was the presentation by
Col. Cowan TO the Pickett Division AssO-
citation of 3 sword which he took during
Pickett's charge. it is about three feet
long; the handle is of mother of pearl and
the blade of finely polished steel. The
way it came int the possession OF Col.
Cowsn was this: During the charge very